The Maestro - 2nd Edition by Tim Wynne-Jones (Paperback)

About the Book

When Burl Crow runs away from home to escape his brutal father, he heads for the place he knows best -- the wilderness. Craving solitude, he is stunned by the sight of a grand piano dangling from a helicopter, and even more startled to find himself drawn to the sounds that eventually come from it. Tracing the source of the music, Burl finds Nathaniel Orlando Gow, the Maestro, standing on the deck of a strange, pyramid-like cabin. The reclusive, eccentric Maestro (based on the brilliant Canadian pianist Glenn Gould) has chosen to escape, too, and only reluctantly offers the wet, starving Burl shelter. Slowly but surely, the two form a bond, and Burl's eyes are opened to a world he never dreamed of.
Will his rapport with the Maestro give Burl the inner courage needed to face the difficult choices that suddenly confront him when his father reappears?The Maestro is a poignant coming-of-age drama that testifies to the redemptive powers of friendship.

Book Synopsis

Burl Crow hasn't had many breaks in his young life. His father is a manipulative lout with a dangerous temper; his mother, worn down by years of abuse, now resorts to her little helpers to get her through the days. Then he meets Nathaniel Orlando Gow, the Maestro, and in just one day, this eccentric genius changes Burl's life forever.

Review Quotes

...a gift for a group of readers not often enough offered work of this caliber.-- "Globe and Mail"

(as The Survival Game) Wynne-Jones paints a powerful picture of the effects of abuse...One of the most delightful aspects of this compelling story is Wynne-Jones's sharp perspicacity and language...An intensely enjoyable read for 12+.-- "Inis Magazine (Ireland)"

(as The Survival Game)...marvelously tense...It's a remarkable book.-- "Books for Keeps (UK)"

A truly compelling adventure story.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Complex and poignant, wrapped around a dramatic story line.-- "Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW"